Random Letters

No real post, just a few things I'd like to say...

Dear next door neighbors,
It is very rude to move from 10pm until well past midnight.  It is especially rude when she share a wall with a neighbor to be moving at midnight and to be slamming doors.  I have to teach 20 six year olds.  I need my rest.  And by the way, why are you already moving.  You just moved in this summer.

Dear eye ulcer,
I do not have time for you.  I do not have time to put eye drops in my eye every 2 hours and make 3 trips to the doctor.  I am way too busy the 2nd week of school.  And I hate wearing glasses.  Especially when my husband is coming home and I haven't seen him in over 100 days. 

Dear AF,
Please do not let me down.  Please.

Dear parents,
Please put your kids to bed early enough that they can get PLENTY of rest before coming to school.  I am running out of patience for grumpy tired children.  I am grumpy and tired too!

Dear Texas weather,
I really liked the cold front you provided us with last weekend.  I would greatly appreciate more cooler weather.  I am tired of sweating while dismissing my students. 

Letter From Sam

Before you begin to read this, yes, we are that couple that when talking to our dogs refer to ourselves as Mommy and Daddy.  Anyway, here was an email Anthony recieved after my drive from my parents house.   

Dear Daddy,
Please get home soon. Mommy is threatening to get rid of me. It all started because my gran gave me foods Mommy doesn't let me eat. Well, those foods gave me awful gas. So, on the ride home I was tooting. A lot. Mommy stopped to see if I needed to go to the bathroom since I kept tooting. We were standing in the grass and I was checking things out when I spotted a door. I thought there was something exciting behind that door and took off. I was so excited that I didn't listen when mom said no and stop. I also did not notice that she had fallen to the ground and I pulled her about 10 feet. She is very mad at me. She has a scraped arm and foot and keeps complaining that her arm, side, leg and foot hurt. Please hurry home and save me.
Love,
Sam

First Grade Fun-Days 1 & 2

My brain is too tired to put together a cohesive post, but I wanted to post about my first two days of school, so bullet points it is.

*I have 20 kids.  Eleven are students  from last year.  They are a very chatty bunch, but I'm so happy to spend another year with them.
*Since I was a kindergarten teacher last year and a first grade teacher this year, one student asked if I'm going to 2nd grade next year.
*I don't think I'm going to have one student that I am able to write lots about like last year.  There's really not any real behavior problems.  Thank goodness!
*Today I went to sit down in my chair at the front of the class and I totally missed the chair.  I'm really not sure what happened.  It was funny and a great chance to explain how to be a good friend when someone gets hurt.  But, did it really have to be on the day I was wearing a dress?  I never wear dresses to work. 
*I may have walked out of the bathroom today with the back of my dress all tucked up.  Perhaps I should not wear a dress to work again.
*I forgot that one thing I don't like about the first weeks of school is that I have to be really strict to set my expectations for the year.
*I am thrilled to be teaching first grade and not kindergarten.  There haven't been any screaming or fit throwing kids during the first week of school!

It is now time for bed.  I am exhausted, both physically and mentally. 

TaDa!

Tonight was Meet the Teacher.  It was so funny watching the kids' reactions as they realized that I was their teacher again.  I'm not sure if they were more confused about being in my class again or the fact that I was in another room.  I hope they don't expect to see me again next year in 2nd grade.  I am done moving!

I am very pleased with how my room turned out and finally have pictures to share.  I had intented to take pictures as I progressed, but I forget things. 

View from the door.

View from our bathroom/sink area.

My work area/meeting area.  I love the pollka dots on the black shelves!

Another one of my polka dotted shelves

Our class meeting area and promethean board.

Library nook

I absolutely love it.  I switched from desks to the hexagon tables and it really opened up the room.  I like the colors and the lack of clutter.  Once school gets started I will fill the two bulletin boards with our "Class Promise" and pictures of the kids.  I am looking forward to a great school year!

Blessed

I think it's funny, and a bit sad, that it takes a big tragedy in your life to make you realize how blessed you really are.  The sadness that filled my life on Monday, made me realize that I am blessed with so many friends who love me and care about me.  And not just friends that I've known for many years (though they were wonderful too).   These were freinds that I met here after moving.  These are other military wives and other teachers.  And even you guys.

I had so many people telling me that were praying for us.  I had so many people checking in on me.  And I had so many people share hugs and encouraging words.  Even though my biological  family was hours away, I was surround by my family in Christ.  God has truely blessed me with some amazing people.

It's Just Not Fair

I know that life's not fair, nor will it ever be.  I get that.  But there are some unfairnesses that really bother me.

Today, my sweet 5 month old niece passed away.  It's just not fair for a life to be so short and a mother to have to bury her baby.

It's not fair that the Red Cross only services immediate family members.  It's not fair that Anthony has to deal with the death of his niece from so far away and miss the service.  It's not fair that he's in even more danger because he can't concentrate on what he's doing because his heart and mind are somewhere else.

It's just not fair!  I want nothing more right now than to crawl into the arms of my husband, but instead, I sit on my couch alone.  I know that I'm supposed to be a strong military wife, and I have been.  I've dealt with all the things this deployment has thrown my way.  But I'm tired of being strong.  I'm human. 

Please keep Anthony and his famiily in your prayers. 

Sam and the Sprinkler

Earlier in the summer, I wrote about how my grandmother let Sam play in the sprinkler and how much he loved it.  Well, we're back home and I don't have a back yard or a water hose.  But, I do have a large area behind our apartment.  So, we went outside to play since he had been stuck in his crate a while today.  I let him off his leesh.  I threw the balll.  He chased the ball and ran back to me.  I then went after the ball (he's not real good at fetch) and threw it again.  We repeated this cycle several times and then he took off towards the apartment.  I was afraid he had spotted some poor, innocent person to lick to death.  But then he stopped. 

He spotted a sprinkler.  He was so excited.  He began trying to catch the water.  By the time I could get to him and get him away he was soaked. 

Anyway, I got him all dried off and came inside to call my grandmother.  I expected her to laugh.  Oh no, she was so excited that he was able to play in the sprinkler.